Helping Veterans Reconnect – Part 2

It takes much more than one day a year to thank Veterans for all that they have done to defend our freedom, but we are glad that there is at least one special day reserved just for this specific appreciation. Though yesterday was officially Veteran’s Day, today is the day many workers have been given the day off to reflect on their appreciation for those who have served in the military.

How much do those friendships really mean? We were lucky enough to hear it firsthand from a Veteran himself. Mark is in his early thirties and is veteran of the United States Air Force. He completed two tours in Iraq and shares his thoughts on how much his friendships mean:

One of the most confusing things about coming back from war was asking myself, ‘how could I live a normal life again? How could I ever even talk about some of what I witnessed, or what I felt sitting there at night and listening to the sound of gunfire and explosion that always seemed to get closer.’ I thought of those nights and always wondered if that night was going to be ‘the night.’

I relied so much on the men and women who joined me, and I always knew I had someone to talk to. They understood, they had been there for me when I needed them. We cried together at our losses; they were my brothers and sisters. As the years passed, so many of us went our separate ways. Many got out of the military or moved to different bases.

You always promise each other ‘we will keep in touch’ but everyone is so busy, or you can’t even find them if you wanted to. With modern day technology and the incorporation of social media, the gap is narrowed a bit but it still can be difficult. Even after all of these years, finding my brothers again and talking with them about some of what we dealt with allows healing, and allows for some form of closure. Spokeo’s drive to aid veterans to reunite helps us more than ever. It helps ensure these bonds between those who have shared so much isn’t broken.

We are so touched by Mark’s words and are even more inspired to help veterans find their friends again.

If you know a Veteran who is in search of someone they previously served with, email your story to veterans@spokeo.com. We will continue accepting submissions through Friday, November 16.